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c. H. CRAFT. I ELECTRICALLY LIGHTED MOTOR METER. I

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25,192].

1,4%3,755. v Patented Jul 25, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE HORTON CRAFT, F UNION'IOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR .013 ONE- THIRD T0 HARMER D. HU'ICI'IINSON, OF UNIONIOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE- THIRD TO JOHN Q. ADAZMS, OF UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRICALLY-LIGHTED MOTOR METER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE H. CRAFT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Uniontown, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Electrically-Lighted Motor Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to heat registering devices for automobile radiators, and more particularly to what are commonly known as motor meters, my object being the provision of a lighting device for motor meters by which the latter may be readily viewed in the dark and a further object is the provision of a lighting device whose nature is such that the radiator closing cap may be readily screwed into place and unscrewed from the radiator filling spout without the necessity of adjusting. or detaching electrical connections for the lighting bulb. i Y r A further object is the provision of an electrical lighting device whose nature is such that the motor meter may be readily and quickly adjusted with respect to the radiator closing cap to which it is normally clamped, without the necessity ottfirst adjusting or detaching the electrical connections.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates m present invention and forms a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a radiator cap with its motor meter, looking at that side of. the latter normallyexposed to the driver of an automobile, T

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view par tially through the motor meter, cap and adjacent portions of a radiator showing the practical application of my invention,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the cap with the contact ring thereon,

Figure 4: is a side view of the light bulb shield,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the base portion of the motor meter,

Figure 6 is a vertical. sectional view illustrating a slightly modified form, and

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring now to these figures and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, I have shown a conventional type of motor meter at 10,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 25, 1922.

Application filed August 25, 1921.

Serial No. 495,188.

that is conventional. in so far as heat registration is concerned. This motor meter has a frame indicated at 11 and is provided with a flanged base 12 normally resting on the upper surface of a radiator cap 13 through a central opening; of which the stem 14 oi the motor meter depends, this stem extending into the filling; neck 15 of the radiator 16 when the cap 13 is screwed in place as seen in Figure 2. The stem 141: is shown partially threaded. as usual for the reception of a lock washer 17 and nut 18, and in. the present instance an insulating washer 19 is interposed between the lock washer l7 and or otherwise formed for the reception of a lighting: bulb 23. The upper portionoi this enlargement 22 is slightly reduced to receive a thimble-like shield 24 for the light bulb having a slot at one side and partially through its 'top through which. rays from the bulb 23 are directed upwardly upon one face of the motor meter and in particular upwardly along the central portion of the motor meter.

v The base of the bulb 23 has a contact piece 25 which extends through an insulating washer 26 and into engagement with the contact point 27 oi? a contact ring 28 the latter of which is insulated from the base of the motor meter by the insulating washer 26'and 'isseated wit-bin the flanged b ase of the motor meter so as to rotate with the latter in the event it becomes necessary to rotatively adjust the motor meter with respect to the cap 13.

In view of the fact that the body of the cap 13 is usually formed of a non-conducting composition, I extend a pin 29 therethrough, the inner end of which pin engages the metal lining 21 of the cap and the outer end of which pin is in turn engaged by the contact ring 28 so as to thus place the lower contact piece 25 of the lighting bulb 23 in electrical connection thro h ring 28, pin 29 and the cap' linin 21 wit the filling neck 15 and consequent? the radiator 16.

My invention a urther contemplates the use of a single wire 30 extending upwardly within the radiator in any suitable manner as for instance within the radiator filling spout, or extending upwardly alongside the radiator and inwardly through its filling spout 15 to a clamp 31 insulated from the filling neck as by means of an insulating sleeve 32, and provided with an inwardly projecting contact member 33, preferably a spring contact member, whose inner end is adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the stem 14 of the motor meter so that the radiator closing cap 13 may be freely unscrewed and re laced in the position shown in Fi re 4 without detaching any of the electrical parts.

It is contem lated that in practice the wire 30 may lead From a suit-able source of current as for instance the usual automobile battery, through a simple switch located on the dash and it is quite obvious that by the use of one wire alone the circuit will be complete when the switch is closed through the contact finger 33 to the stem 14; and from thence to the side of the bulb 23 whose base has a ground connection with the vehicle frame when the cap 13 is in place as previouslyxdescribed.

ile the preferred form of my invention asshown in igures l to 5 inclusive contemplates the mounting of the lighting bulb 23 withinan in l'enlargement of the motor meter base 12, may, with the same electrical connections, utilize a bulb 23* within the vertically apertured portion 22 of a flanged plate 34 as shown in Figures 6 and 7, clamped between the motor meter base 12 and the radiator cap, this flanged plate housing an insulating washer 26 and a contact ring 28* with the latter of which the base of the bulb 23 makes contact. In this form of construction the motor meter base 12 may be recessed at one side as shown at 12 in F igure 7 so as to receive the bulb holding portion 22 of the plate 34 within the recess whereby the plate will be rotatively adjusted with the motor meter when the latter is adjustcd with respect to the cap.

In either form of the invention it is quite obvious that either adjustment of the motor meter with resfpect to the cap or removal andreplacemento the cap itself with respect to the radiator filling spout may be carried out in exactly the same manner and with the same ease and facility as the ordinary ca and meter.

claim:

1. The combination with an automobile radiator, its closing cap, and a heat registering device disposed on and insulated from the cap, of an electrical lighting bulb above the cap to light the registering device, in electrical connection with the said registering device and with the cap, and an electrical contact member within the radiator engageable by a portion of the said heat registering device when the cap is in place on the radiator.

2. The combination with an automobile radiator, its closing cap, and a heat registering device disposed on and insulated from the cap and having a stem depending through the cap, of a contact member within and insulated from the radiator and engageable by the inner end of said stem when the cap is in place on the radiator, and an electrical lighting bulb disposed above the cap to light the heat registering device, said bulb being in electrical connection with the heat registering device and also with the cap, whereby the latter may be freely attached to and removed from the radiator.

3. A radiator for automobiles having a filling spout provided with an internal contact, a closure for the said spout, a heat registering device on the closure, having a stem projecting through the closure and into detachable engagement with said contact, said stem being insulated from the closure, and a lighting bulb enternally of the closure and in electrical connection with the stem and also with the said closure.

4. The combination with an automobile radiator and-its closing cap and a heat registering device having a base flange resting on the cap and a stem depending throu -h the cap and insulated therefrom, a cont ct ring within the base flange, a contact pin through the cap engaged by the contact ring, an electric light bulb above the cap in electrical connection with the heat registering device and also with the said contact ring, and a contact member within and insulated from the radiator and with which the inner end of the stem of said heat registering device is detachably engageable as described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

CLARENCE HORTON CRAFT. 

